The Khmer National Armed Forces (Khmer: កងកម្លាំងប្រដាប់អាវុធជាតិខ្មែរ; French: Forces armées nationales khmères, FANK) were the official armed defense forces of the Khmer Republic, a short-lived state that existed from 1970 to 1975, known today as Cambodia. The FANK was the successor of the Royal Khmer Armed Forces (FARK) which had been responsible for the defense of the previous Kingdom of Cambodia since its independence in 1953 from France.